We make mistakes, learn from them, make more mistakes, and learn again. Learning is a lifelong process. However, in early childhood, learning takes place at a speed that will never be equalled. Nurseries play a big part in early childhood learning, but there is also a lot of growth that can happen at home. Here are four ways you can support your child’s development outside the nursery classroom.
1. Show them warmth and empathy.
It’s important for children to learn that people around them have thoughts and feelings that are different from their own. Show your child how to be empathetic by being empathetic towards them.
If your child is acting nervous of a dog while on a neighbourhood walk, ask them if they feel scared. Tell them you understand that it can be scary, and offer to hold their hand until he walks by. Small acts like this can make a huge difference.
2. Have daily routines and house rules.
Routines are good for both children AND parents. They help children feel safe and develop the healthy habit of having routines which will help them create habits when they are adults. For parents, routines are great because they make them feel more organised and it will reduce their daily stress.
House rules are a smaller version of rules your child will need to follow in nursery, school, and ultimately, throughout their lives. Get them used to listening to an authority figure like a nursery teacher by asking them to use their ‘inside voice” if they are being too loud.
3. Respond to your child in a predictable way.
If one day a parent yells about something a child does, and another day they tolerate it and don’t say anything, a child will learn that adult responses are not predictable. This can result in a child’s ability to control and regulate their own actions and emotions to lower.
Consistent interactions will help your child completely understand boundaries and what you expect of them. This will help them have a much easier time expressing themselves correctly, and will positively add to the safe environment you want to create for them.
4. Share books with your child.
Books provide adventures for the imagination! They will encourage children to learn how to express their own thoughts and emotions. Books are also a calming activity for your child. Children love the sound of their parents’ voices and reading books out loud to them can be a truly bonding experience.
You can create a routine by having story time right before bed, and nourish a love for books for them by emphasising that it is a special time at night that will help them sleep.
Learning is a beautiful activity to be shared, and your child will benefit immensely from the extra effort you put in at home for their early childhood development. When you are ready for your child to learn more at nursery, don’t forget to choose the flexible scheduling Pebble has to offer.
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